Machine and method for making hat bodies



Sept. 12, 1939.

s. T. BIRDSALL MACHINE AND METHOD FOR MAKING HAT BODIES Filed March 24, 1937' 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Georg? irds ll m And Y Sept. 12, 1939. I s. 'r. BIRD'SALL 2,172,342

IAC HINE AND METHOD FOR MAKING HAT BODIES 37 5 Sheets-Sheet; 2

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Sept. 12, 1939. s. 'r. BIRDSALL 2,172,342

IACHINE AND METHOD FDR MAKING HAT BODIES Filed March 24, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTO jY p 1939- G. r. BIRDSALL 2,172,342

IACHINE AND METHOD FOR MAKING HAT BODIES Filed March 24, 1937- 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 k Q h E E OPENS 647215 E 5 it m k n R U 2 a lfllljllig a;

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135 FA IPPER-FIMMIZ \FUPPL Y- WIRE ATTO Y enter? S l H939 FA'EEN'! @FHCE anaste MACHINE AND FVEETHOD FOR MAKING HAT BQKWES George if. Birtlaall, lilianbury, Conn.

Application March 24,

3d Giaims.

This invention relates to methods and means for making hat bodies.

An object of this invention is to make felt hat bodies from the initial operation of depositing the for on a suitable form up to but not including the operation of felting the fur, and to do this without going through the manual operations which were heretofore necessary.

Another object of this invention is to provide a machine in which hat-forming cones are mounted for movement one after another into a plurality of different positions or stations at which the various operations of depositing the fur to form a bat, wetting the bat, and removing the bat from the forming cone may be performed.

A further object of this invention is to provide a machine of the kind referred to wherein the bat-forming, bat-wetting and bat-stripping operations respectively, or any of these, are performed automatically, preferably in timed sequential operation so that the bodies may be formed up to the felting stage without manual operation.

In the broader aspects of the invention, an operator may be placed at each of the stations referred to to control the bat-forming, bat-wetting, and bat-stripping if desired, and even control the seriatim movements of the forming cones into and out of the various stations.

Accordingly, it will be understood that the present invention includes the method of making hat bodies which consists in bringing the cones seriatim to a plurality of working positions and performing the operations at the various stations above referred to, or any group of them.

The practical advantages of having a single unitary machine for performing the various operations in hat-making up to the operation of felting are self-evident, but it may be noted that a great saving is effected in labor expended, and, besides, when the operations are performed automatically, a greater uniformity of product is assured, and this may be maintained at whatever standard of quality is desired. In addition, the bodies may be made more rapidly by the machine provided by the present invention than if made by hand.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate one form of this invention, that at present preferred- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved hat-making machine with certain parts broken 1937, Serial at. isaiis away and some parts shown in section to show the details of construction.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the station at which the fur is deposited on the forming cone, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. i.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of part of the machine, showing, in dot-and-dash lines, the gates at the fur-depositing station open to receive a cone and to permit the passage of the fur-laden cone to the wetting station.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of part of the machine, taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the machine showing the turntable for carrying the forming cones from station to station and omitting the showing of the fur-depositing and wetting mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the part of the machine at the stripping station showing the wetted body in position to be stripped from the cone, and showing, in dot-and-dash lines, one position of the mechanism for removing the cone from the turntable preparatory to stripping the body from the cone.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, but showing the cone removed from the turntable and the body in the act of peeling or stripping from the cone.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view of the contact mechanism for automatically controlling the various operations on the machine.

Fig. 9 is a horizontal section of the rotating table of the machine taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 1.

According to the present invention, the hat bodies are made on forming cones l0 made of perforated metal and having a rounded apex.

A plurality of cones ID are employed, and these are moved from station to station, preferably automatically, to receive the fur, to have the hat of fur wetted, and to have the wet bat stripped from the cone. In the broader aspects of the invention, as many cones as desired may be employed, and these may be moved from station to station in any suitable way.

According to the present invention, however, the cones are mounted on a turntable H having rollers I 2 riding on a track on a main frame member l3 supported on standards l4 having feet I 5 which may set on a floor or on the bottom of 'a pit.

The turntable H is preferably circular and at its center has a hub l6 passing through a bearing I! at the center of the main frame IS.

The fur-depositing, wetting and stripping stations are evenly spaced around the main frame l3, and the turntable H is rotatable to bring each cone 16 to the various stations successively, and to leave the cones at the various stations for a suflicient time to permit the required operations to be performed.

The turntable may, according to the present invention, be moved step-by-step for this purpose in any suitable way. The mechanism shown for accomplishing this step-by-step movement includes a ratchet wheel l3 having four teeth I3 a worm 30 driven by a worm wheel 3| which,

in turn, is driven by a worm 32 on a shaft of a motor 33. The motor 33 is constantly operating, and through the train of worm wheels and worms above-described slowly rotates the crank 26, with the result that the pawl 26 and its arm 22 are caused to swing about the pivot 23. The crank rotates in the direction of the arrow and, as it rotates from the position shown in Fig. 4, it moves toward the pivot point 23 and thereby causes the movement of the arm 22 to accelerate. During this movement the pawl 26 is moved 90 and, since it engages a tooth l3 on the ratchet I6, advances the turntable II for 90. The continued rotation of the crank 26 causes the direction of operation of the pawl arm 22 to be reversed, and during this time the crank pin is further removed from the pivot point 23, resultingin a slow return movement of the pawl. It is during the return movement of the pawl that the operations of depositing the fur, wetting the bat, and stripping the bat are performed. By the time these operations have been finished, the pawl 20 is again in position to engage a tooth |3 on the ratchet.

The forming cones ID are not supported directly on the turntable II, but rather are elevated above it, on cylinders 34. At the top of each cylinder 34 there is a flange 35, see Figs. 1 and 7, on which there is mounted for rotation a ring 36. The inner surface of the ring is tapered downwardly and is adapted to engage a similarly shaped base 31 to which the cone I0 is secured. I

There is a frictional flt between the cone base 31 and the ring 36, so that each cone, with its base,

may be removed from the ring 36 when desired and yet, when it is supported on the ring, will rotate with it. As stated above, the machine of the presen invention has three operating stations. The furdepositing station is indicated generally by A, the

wetting station by B, and the stripping. station by C. As shown, these stations are spaced 90' apart around the main frame l3, but it should be understood that any suitable spacing of the stations may be employed. Also, as shown, there are four cones i6 and mounting structures therefor. These likewise are spaced 90 apart in the ma- .chine illustrated. At station D no work is performed, except that of moistening the cone so that when it arrives at station A the fur will adhere to it. For this purpose, there is provided at station .D a constantly operating spray 206 throwing a very little mist onto the cone.

Fur depositing At station A there is provided a chute 36, supported on standards 33, carried by the main frame, and this is connected to a stack 46 through which a predetermined quantity of fur' is allowed to fall at the proper time so that the fur may settle on the cone.

To insure the fur settling on the perforated cone ill in an even layer, suction is employed. For this purpose, the cylinder 34 which supports the cone and its base 31, is provided with a sheet metal box 4|, the top of which is open and has its edge lying close to the base 31 of the cone. At one side the box 4| has a duct 42 radially extending with relation to the cylinder 34 and the turntable The duct 42 has a flange 43 which engages a flange 44 on a duct 45 when the cone is located at station A. The duct 45 leads to the interior of an impeller-type blower 46 which has an exhaust duct 41. When the flanges 43 and 44 are engaged, the air is drawn down through the fur-depositing stack 46, the chute 36, through the perforated cone l6, through the box 4| and ducts 43 and 44 so that the falling fur is drawn upon and held to the cone in an even layer. A duct 45 is slidably mounted and resiliently urged by a spring 46 so that the flange 44 is engaged with the flange 43. When the turntable moves, however, the duct 45 is cammed back permitting the flange 43 to pass the flange 44.

During the depositing of the fur on the cone III at station A, the cone is completely enclosed by the chute, and means are provided by the present invention for permitting the cone to enter and leave the chute. For this purpose, side walls 43 of the chute are made in the form of gates. In the form of the invention herein shown, the gates 43 are eachpivoted on a shaft 56 on a solid rear portion 5| of the chute and close against a solid front wall 52 of the chute, see Figs. 2 and 3.

Each of the shafts 56 is provided with an arm 53.

and the arms 53 have links 54 connecting them to a lever 55 which in turn has a link 56 connecting it to an armature 51 of a solenoid 53. Before the turntable moves, the gates 43 are opened and they stay open while the cone on which fur was deposited travels from station A to station B, while the cone from which the bat has been stripped travels from station D to station A. The manner in which the solenoid 56 is operated will be described below.

While the cone is receiving the fur falling through the .chute 38, it is rotated so that the fur willbe deposited more evenly on it. For.

this purpose, the ring 36 on which the base 31 of the cone rests is provided with an annular row of teeth 53 meshing with a gear 60 on a shaft 6| journaled in the cylinder 34 and having a worm wheel 62 meshing with a worm 63 on the shaft of an electric motor 64, see Fig. 1. Each of the motors is connected by wires to brushes 65 in position to engage contacts 66 carried by the base l3, see Fig. 4, so that when any cone is at station A, the brushes engage the contacts and cause the motor associated with that particular cone to operate and rotate the cone.

It is desired to hold the fur in an even layer on the cone III while it travels from station to station, and for this purpose each of the boxes 4| is provided with a conduit 61 leading to the hub l6 of the turntable where the various conduits 61 join. The hub I6 is hollow and Joins with a hollow standard 63 at the center of the turntable and forming part of the base member, and this isconnected at the bottom by a duct 63 connected to a blower not shown. Air is continuously drawn through the'hollow standard 68 and conduit 61, and thus provides suction within the hollow cone in to hold the fur thereto.

Only a slight amount of suction is necessary station to station, but a large amount is needed carrying the counterweights 81.

during the fur-depositing operation at station A, and this is the reason for the provision of the blower 46.

In order that the air drawn in through the conduits 61 will not enter through the large. duct 42 while the cone is being transferred from one station to another, a flap valve 10 is provided in each conduit 42; the reduced atmospheric pressure in the box 4| causes the flap to remain against a stop 1| in closed position. Likewise, to prevent the blower 46 from drawing air back through the conduit 61 when in fur-depositing position, the latter is provided with a flap valve 12.

Fur wetting After the fur is deposited on the cone at station A, the turntable II moves and the cone is brought to station B where the fur which is deposited thereon and held thereon by suction, is wetted. At station B, there is provided a spraying device having a standard or support 14 secured to the main frame I3 and carrying at its upper end a hollow perforated cone 15. The cone 15 is mounted on a non-circular rod 16 slidably mounted in arms 11 at the upper .end of the bracket, and the rod 16 is provided with gear teeth 18 meshing with a gear 19 mounted on a shaft and also carrying a gear 8| meshing with a rack 82 connected to an arm 83 on a rock shaft 84. The rock shaft 84 has an arm 85 carrying a rod 86 having a. weight 81 thereon to counterbalance the weightof the rod 16. The rock shaft 84 has another arm 88 connected by a link 89 to an armature 90 of a solenoid 9 I. When the solenoid 9| is operated, the shaft 84 is rocked, causing the hollow cone 15 to be lowered over the bat on the cone I0 so that the fur, of which the bat is composed, will be held against shifting on the cone I0 during the spraying operation. Supported on the rod 16 is a spray head 92 having depending perforated tubes 93 located at spaced points around the hollow cone .15 and connected at their bottoms by a ring 94. The spray head 92 is connected by a flexible hose 95 to a fitting 96 carried by the bracket 14. This fitting is connected to a valve 91 and a supply hose 98. The valve 91 has an arm 99 connected to the rod 86 by a pin-and-slot connection I00 Thus, when the perforated cone 15 and the spray are lowered over the bat of fur on the cone I0 and approach their final position, the valve 91 is opened to cause water from the supply pipe 98 to be sprayed on the cone 15 and through the cone against the fur. The water supplied to the spray -is preferably boiling-hot. To prevent the water issuing from the spray pipes 93 from unneces-' ,sarily wetting the machinery, the cone and sprays are enclosed within a conical cover IOI.

During the spraying operation, air within the cone I0 is continually withdrawn and sucks through the bat the water which is sprayed thereon, thus insuring the complete and thorough wetting of the bat.

Water entering the box 4| passes down through theconduit 61 and hollow standard 68 to the conduit 69, and a suitable water trap not shown is provided between the conduit 69 and the blower which is also not shown. Surplus water flowing off the bat is allowed to flow into the box 4| 7 through one or more drain holes I02.

After the bat is fully wetted, current through the solenoid is interrupted allowing the weights turn movement, due to the fact that the valve 91 is spring-biased to off position, the valve is shut oil before the cone and spray have moved substantially'away from the bat. After the spray has moved up to its inactive position, the turntable and cone moves 90, and this brings the wetted bat to the stripping position C, see Fig. 5.

, Stripping As will be seen from a comparison of Figs. 6 and 7 at station C, the cone I0 with its base 31 is picked up from the cylinder 34 and the turntable and is flipped over so that the wetted bat may be stripped from the cone.

To permit this to be done, the base 31, as stated above, has va-frictional fit in the ring 36 so that the cone and its base may be. lifted out of the ring. To do this, a fork I03 is provided and is so positioned that its tines may enter an annular groove I04 in the base 31 of the cone. In

.doing so, the tines expand, and when they are located within the groove I04, they firmly grip the base and hold it against movement relative to the fork. The fork is pivotally mounted on a shaft I05 carried by the upper end of a rocking frame I06 which in turn is pivoted at I01 on the base of the machine. The rocking frame is counterbalanced by weights I08 so as to normally occupy the position shown in Fig. 6. When the wetted cone arrives at station C, the frame I06 is pulled to the right as shown in Fig. 6, by a link I09 connected to the armature IIO of a solenoid III so as to occupy the position shown in dot-and-dash lines with the fork I03 gripping the base of the cone.

This rocking movement is such that the base is tilted up on one side so that it occupies the position shown in dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 6. 40 With the cone thus grasped, the rocking frame I06 returns to its full-line position shown in Fig. 6, and, at the same' time, the fork I03 is rocked on the axis of the shaft I05 so that when the frame I06 reaches the position shown in Fig. {5 7, the cone has been flipped over and is upside down. To thus fiip over the cone, the shaft I05 is provided with a pinion II2 engaged by a rack 3 connected to an armature H4 of a solenoid H6, and also connected to a rod H6 54 v having a spring II1 tending to return the rod, armature and rack to their normal positions shown in Fig. 6. When the cone is flipped over,

-a loose ring II8 surrounding the base of the cone and held thereto by pin-and-slot connections 9, is allowed to fall by gravity. This causes the lower. edge of the wetted bat to be turned outwardly and the weight of it causes it to turn downwardly as shown in Fig. '7. From this position, the body strips itself by gravity 60 from the cone and in doing so turns inside out and falls into a suitable receptacle.

To guide the fork I03 into proper position in the groove I04, the frame I3 of the machine has a pair of stationary arms I2I on which the as lower edge of the tines rest. I When the fork swings from the dot-and-dash line position to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 6, an arm I22 on the fork engages a pin I23 on the swing-' ing frame. 70

After the body has stripped from the cone I0 with the parts shown in the positions they occupy in Fig. 7, the solenoid H5 is deenergized, permitting the cone and the fork to swing back and at the same time the solenoid III is energlued to swing the rocking frame I! back toward the frame of the machine. when the parts reach this position, the base 31 of the cone is deposited on the ring I. and the fork I03 withdraws from the annular groove I02 leaving the cone in proper position on the turntable. When this operation as well as the fur-depositing and wetting operations have been concluded, the table turns and this brings the cone ill, from which the body had previously been stripped, to station D where it remains out of service until it is moved to station A. While it is at station I), the cone may be moistened by the spray 2, so that it will be sufilciently damp to receive the fur.

In the above description it has been stated that the gates 49 at station A, the sprinkler 13 at station B, and the stripping mechanism at,

station C are operated by solenoids. It should be imderstood, however, that in the broader aspects of this invention, these parts may be operated in any suitable manner and by any suitable means, and, in fact, they may be operated by hand having an operator at each station to open and close the gates and to raise and lower the sprinkler, and to remove the cone from the'turntable, if desired. However, it is preferable and advantageous to have these operations performed automatically and in coordination with the movement of the turntable and with the operation of each other. For this purpose, electrical means are provided for operating the various mechanisms in coordination with the means for advancing one cone after another through the diflerent stations.

Accordingly, as shown in Fig. l, and as diagrammatically indicated in Fig. 8, the shaft 21, which controls the step-by-step movement of the turntable, carries a contact drum I 24. Current is supplied to the contact drum from a main supply line I25, through a brush I26 to a sleeve I21 carrying a plurality of contact disks adapted to be engaged by contact fingers leading to the various solenoids. As shown in Fig. 8, there is a contact disk I having a raised contact portion for engaging a contact finger I29, connected by a wire I to the solenoid 58 which opens and closes the gates 49. This raised part of the disk I28 occupies that portion of the disk which is located'in position to be engaged by the contact finger I29 while the turntable is moving from one position to another. On the sleeve I21 there is another disk III having a raised portion adapted to engage a contact finger I32 connected by a wire I" to the solenoid 9| controlling the spray. There is another disk I34 carried by the sleeve I21 having a raised portion adapted to engage a contact finger I35 connected by a wire I" to the solenoid III which controls the movement of the swinging frame I08 of the conefiipping mechanism. There are two raised portions on this disk I at spaced intervals, one

to cause the rocking frame to be moved in so that the fork I02 may receive the cone, and another raised portion to mo e the rocking frame in when the fork lll is to redeposit the cone on the turntable. There is another disk I31 carried by the sleeve I21 and this is adapted to engage a contact finger I38 connected by a wire I to the solenoid IIiwhich controls the rotation of the fork Illlfrom the position shown in Fig. 6 to that shown in Fig. 1. Each of the solenoids is connected by return wires to the return supply line I" on the main source of supply.

It will be noted that all of the raised portions ing the movement of the turntable from one.

position to another. and that this movement,

because of the accelerated action produced by the crank 26- and slotted arm 22, occupies only one-quarter of the rotation of the shaft 21.

The main feed lines I25 aand I" are connected to a source of current supply by a. switch I, see Fig. 1.

To avoid a condition where the suction effect produced within the hollow cones would practically be destroyed at the time and by the removal of the body and cone from the turntable at the stripping station, a stationary sleeve I42 is provided within the hollow standards .58 and this extends up into the turntable structure. It has two holes so disposed that one aligns with the conduits 81, leading to the cone which is in fur-receiving position, and the other aligns with the cone which is in bat-wetting position. The solid walls of the sleeve I42 match up with the conduit 61 which lead to the "cone at the stripping station and the cone-spraying station and thus prevent air entering the open box H or the empty cone at station D from afiecting the suction within the other cones.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of this invention and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

1. A machine for making hat bodies comprising a plurality of forming cones; supporting means therefor for moving the forming cones step-bystep'from station to station; means at one station for depositing fur on said cones under heavy suction; means at another station for wetting the bat of fur laid on said cone at the first station; and separate means for maintaining a light suction on the cone from the time it leaves the depositing position until the wetting operation is completed.

2. A machine for making hat bodies comprising a plurality of forming cones; supporting means thereforfor moving the forming cones step-bystep from station to station; means at one station for depositing fur on said cones; means at another station for wetting the bat of fur laid on said cone at the first station; and pivoted means at another station independent of the supporting means for removing the bodies from the cones when the latter arrive at said third station.

3. A machine for making hat bodies comprising a plurality of forming cones; supporting means therefor for moving the forming cones step-bystep from station to station; means at one station for, deposting fur on said cones; means at another station for wetting the bat of fur laid on said station movable into operative relation with the cone for flipping-over said cones to permit stripthe cone; suction means for drawing toward and holding on'the cone the fur passing through said chute: and separate suction means for holding the fur on the cone during movement of the cone from said station.

5. A machine for making hat bodies comprising a plurality of cones; means for moving said cones 'step-by-step from station .to station; means at one station for depositing iur on said cones, said means including a chute to enclose the cone and to guide the fur toward the cone at said deposit ing station; suction means for drawing toward and holding on the cone the fur passing through said chute; means on the chute to permit the entry and exit of the cones one by one into and out of said chute; and separate means for holding the fur on said cone as it passes out of said chute.

6. A machine for making hat bodies comprising a plurality of cones; means for moving said cones step-by-step from station to station; means at one station for depositing fur on said cones, said means including a chute to guide the fur toward the cone; suction means for drawing toward and holding on the cone the fur passing through said chute, the cones being movable under said chute; and gates mounted on the chute to move about vertical axes and adapted to open to receive the cone within and close around the cone while the fur is being deposited thereon.

7. A machine for making hat bodies comprising a plurality of cones; means for moving said cones step-by-step from station to station; means at one station for depositing fur on said cones;

means at another station for wetting the bat formed on the cone at said first station and including a hollow perforated cone; a sprinkler around the same; and means for automatically causing the hollow cone and bat to engage after the bat has reached the wetting station.

8. A machine for making hat bodies comprising a plurality of cones; means for moving said cones step-by-step from station to station; means at one station for depositing fur on said cones; means at another station for wetting the bat formed on the cone at said first station and including a hollow perforated cone; a sprinkler around the same; means for automatically causing the hollow cone and bat to engage after the bat has reached the weting station; and means automatically causing the sprinkler to operate to wet thebat when the bat and hollow perforated cone are brought into engagement.

9. A machine for makinghat bodies comprising a plurality of cones; means for moving said cones step-by-step from station to station; means at one station for depositing fur on said cones; means at another station for wetting the bat formed on the cone at said first station and ineluding a hollow perforated .cone; a sprinkler around the same; means for automatically causing the hollow cone and bat to engage after the bat has reached the wetting station; and means for sucking water sprinkled on the bat through the same to wet the bat all through.

10. A machine for making hat bodies comprising a plurality of cones; means for moving said cones step-by-step from station to station; means at one station for depositing fur on said cones; means for wetting the bat which is formed on the cone at said first station; means at another station for starting and causing the wetted body to be stripped from the forming cone; and means moving in timed relation to said movement of the cones for controlling the wetting and stripping operations in accordance with the step-by-step movement of the cones.

from the cone,

11. A machine for making hat bodies comprising a plurality of cones; means for moving said cones step-by-step from station to station; means at one station for depositing iur on said cones; means for wetting the bat which is formed on the cone at said first station; and means at another station for causing the wetted body to be stripped from the forming cone, said last-named means including means movable into cooperative relation with the cone to flip the cone over so that the body may peel off the cone.

12. A machine for making hat bodies comprising a plurality of cones; means for moving said cones step-by-step from station to station; means at one station for depositing fur on said cones; means for wetting the bat which is formed on the cone at said first station; means at another station for causing the wetted body to be stripped from the forming cone, said last-named means including means to fiip the cone over so that the body may peel off the cone; and means operative when the cone is flipped over to start said peeling operation.

13. A machine for making hat bodies comprising a plurality of cones; means for moving said cones step-by-step from station to station; means atone station for depositing fur on said cones; means for wetting the bat which is formed on the cone at said first station; and means positioned adjacent another station for causing the wetted body to be stripped from the forming cone, said lastnamed means including means operable in timed relation to the movement of the cones to automatically flip the cone over so that the body may peel oil the cone.

14. In a machine for making hat bodies, a plurality of forming cones; means for mounting the cones for simultaneous movement to bring each cone successively to a plurality of stations; means at one of said stations for wetting a bat carried by the cone when it reaches said station; and means positioned at another station for engaging the cone and causing the wetted body to be stripped from the forming cone.

15. The herein described method of making hat bodies which consists of causing a plurality of forming cones to be brought seriatim to a plurality of working stations, subjecting the cone to a suction and depositing fur on the cone at one station and at the same time stripping the body from the cone at another station, wetting the bat of fur on one cone while the cone is held against rotation intermediate the operation of depositing fur thereon and stripping the body and subjecting the cone to a separate and lighter suction during at least a part of its movement.

16. A machine for making hat bodies, comprising a plurality of forming cones; supporting means therefor for moving the forming cones step-by-step from station to station, said supporting means also including an individual drive means for each cone for rotating the same; means maintaining a lower and separate suction on the 7 cone during movement of the cone from said first station to a second station.

18. A machine for making hat bodies, comprising a cone; means for moving said cone step-bystep from station to station; means at one station for subjecting the cone to a high suction; and means for subjecting the cone to a lower suction upon movement of the same from said station and during movement to another station, said suction means including a plurality of valves constructed and arranged to allow only one of said suction means to be effective at a time.

19. A machine for making hat bodies, comprising a cone; means for moving said cone step-bystep from station to station; means at one station for subjecting the cone to a high suction; and means for subjecting the cone to a lower and independent suction upon movement of the same from said station and during movement to another station.

20. A machine for making hat bodies, comprising a plurality of cones; means for moving said cones step-by-step from station to station; means at one station for depositing fur on said cones including suction means for drawing toward and holding on the cone the fur passing thereto; and means responsive to the movement of the support for the cones for reducing the suction on the cone to that necessary to hold the fur thereon.

' thereon and are then inverted.

21. A machine for making hat bodies, comprising a plurality of cones; means for moving said cones step-by-step from station to station; means at one station for depositing fur on said cones including means for imposing a high suction on the cone; means for wetting the bat in another station including means for imposing a lower suction on the cone; and means at another station for causing the wet bow to be stripped from the cone, including means for discontinuing the suction as applied to the cone.

22. A device of the class described, comprising acone adapted to receive a bat for making a hat; and a ring mounted on the base of the cone a pin and slot connection connecting the ring to the cone for limited axial movement whereby the ring falls by gravity to engage the bat when the cone is turned to inverted position to initiate the removal of the bat from the cone.

23. In a hat making machine, a plurality of cones; means for depositing fur on said cones; means located remote from said depositing means for inverting said cones; and means for creating relative movement between each of said cones and said inverting means after fur is deposited there'- on, for associating the inverting means with each cone, whereby said cones first have fur deposited '24. In hat making machines, the combination of a plurality of cones; fur depositing means to form bats on said cones; bat wetting means to wet each bat after it has been formed; cone inverting means to invert each cone for stripping the bat therefrom after a bat has been formed thereon and wetted; and motive means to cause relative movement between the cone and all of said means to operatively associate said cones succes-' sively with said fur depositing means and wetting means, and to operate said cone inverting means, whereby each of said cones is associated with said fur depositing means to form a bat thereon and the bat is then wetted and the cone is inverted;

25. In a. hat making machine, a plurality of cones; fur depositing means to form bats on said cones; batwetting means to wet each bat after it has been formed; motive means to cause relative horizontal movement between said cones and said fur depositing means and said wetting means to associate said cones successively with said fur depositing means to form bats thereon and then with said wetting means to wet the bats; and means to invert each cone for stripping the bat therefrom after a bat has been formed thereon and to reinvert the cones after the bat has been stripped.

26. In a hat making machine, supporting means; a cone rotatably mounted on the supporting means; means for depositing fur on said cone; an arm pivotally mounted for movement into an inverted position; means for imparting relative movement between at least a portion of the arm and said cone to effect interengagement of said cone-and said arm whereby said arm is brought into supporting relationship with said cone; and means for pivoting said arm to invert said cone.

27. In a hat making machine, a supporting mechanism; a cone rotatably mounted on said mechanism; means for depositing fur on said cone; a U-shaped arm pivotally mounted for movement into an inverted position; motive means adapted to impart relative movement between the open portion of said U-shaped arm and said cone to efiect an interengagement of said cone and said arm whereby said arm is brought into supporting relationship with said cone; and additional motive means for pivoting said arm to invert said cone.

28. In a hat making machine, a supporting mechanism; a cone rotatabiy mounted on said mechanism and having a base with a peripheral groove formed therein; means for depositing fur on said cone; a support; a U-shaped arm pivoted on said support for movement about a horizontal axis; motive means adapted to impart relative movement between the open portion of said U- shaped arm and said cone to move the legs of said U-shaped arm into said groove; and additional motive means for pivoting said arm to invert said cone.

29. In a hat-making machine, fur-depositing means including a hopper having a plurality of normally closed doors; means for interconnecting the doors whereby they are operated in unison; a forming cone; means for causing relative movement between the forming cone and fur-depositing means whereby the cone is moved into said hopper to have fur deposited thereon and removed from the hopper after the depositing operation; electro-responsive means for simultaneously opening the doors of the hopper; and means for energizing the electro-responsive means for opening the doors before movement of the cone into or out of the hopper.

30. In a hat-making machine, fur-depositing means including a hopper having a plurality of openings and doors for closing said openings; means for interconnecting the doors whereby they are operated in unison; a forming cone; means for causing relative movement between the forming cone and fur-depositing means whereby the cone is moved into said hopper to have fur deposited thereon and removed from the hopper after the depositing operation; electro-responsive means for operating the doors of the hopper; and means to operate the electro-responsive means to open the doors and maintain them open throughout the movement of the cone into or out of the hopper.

31. In a hat-making machine, fur-depositing means including a hopper having openings therein and doors for closing said openings; means for interconnecting the doors whereby they are operated in unison; a forming cone; means for causing relative movement between the forming cone and the fur-depositing means whereby the cone is moved into said hopper to have fur-deposited thereon and removed from said hopper after the depositing operation; electro-responsive means for operating the doors of the hopper; and means to operate the electro-responsive means to operate the doons, said means being correlated with the means for causing relative movement between the cone and depositing means whereby the doors are opened and maintained open during movement of the cone into or out of the hopper.

32. A machine for making hat bodies comprising a plurality of cones; means for moving said cones step-by-step from station to station; means at one station for depositing fur on said cones including means for subjecting the cone to a heavy suction; and independent meansfor holding the fur in place thereon during move- 35 ment of the cone to another station, said lastnamed means including a light suction applied to the cone.

33. In a machine for making hat bodies, a plurality of forming cones; means for mounting the cones for simultaneous movement to bring each cone successively to a plurality of stations; means at one of said stations for wetting a bat carried by the cone when it reaches said station; means moving in timed relation to said movement of the cones for operating the wetting means at predetermined intervals; and means for holding the bat on the cone until it is completely wet.

34. In a machine for making hat bodies, a plurality of forming cones; means for mounting the cones for simultaneous movement to bring each cone successively to a plurality of stations; means at one of said stations for wetting a bat carried by thecone when it reaches said station, said means including a sprinkler; and means moving in timed relation to said movement of the cones for automatically causing the sprinkler to operate at predetermined intervals to wet the bat only when the bat and the cone carrying the same reach said station.

GEORGE T. BIRDSALL. 

